April 15, 2008

Said after a pause, for something to say, after a student questioned him: ""Would you characterize yourself, as Barack Obama would phrase, as a typical white person?" And then he apologized for not really answering the question and said: "I want to say that I think Americans, all Americans, want a respectful campaign."

McCain's gotta a relaxed, "comfortable in his own skin" demeanor which makes his current opponents look small and inexperienced. Of course, if the unlikely happens and the Dems draft Al Gore, then I will have to wait to see who shows up (if you get my drift).

I have no idea if McCain's playing it straight or just taking the high road for strategic reasons. Either way, there are plenty of foot soldiers out there to do the grunt work of pointing out Obama's flaws.

The able Orator not only gives, but enforces his own Meaning: His Manner is as significant as his Words, and therefore becomes Part of his Sentiments. What moved, and fired, and charm'd the Audience, out of one Mouth, would put them to Sleep out of another. An Oration of Demosthenes, repeated like a Lease by a Clerk; or one of Cicero’s, pronounced by a President Bush; instead of Rage & Terror, would 'rouse Laughter and Impatience.

Sen. Obama's Speeches commonly make an ill Figure on the Page; only out of his Mouth do they sound well. Would that Sen. Obama deliver'd Orations that had the written Excellencies of those of our famous Ancients! I do not but doubt that one of Obama's Performances from another's Mouth would miscarry miserably. Thus, if President Bush were to deliver verbatim one of Sen. Obama's Speeches, would he not be excoriated the next Day in the American News-Papers for an egregious Blunder & lack of Sense?

If, as it seems, Sen. Obama's Mask has slipt, his Manner had lost some of its Force, and his Sentiments have begun to ring hollow. Sen. McCain may be an aged half-pay Officer of no great Rhetorical Skill, but he shew'd an uncommon Measure of Wit by his Commendation of Sen. Obama's Oratory & Pretense of disinterest'd Civility. Sen. McCain should however have a Care: That the Publick would look beyond the Manner & bright Speeches, and behind the Mask, could not only redound to Sen. McCain's Benefit, but to that of Sen. Clinton, who may be a more formidable & implacable Opponent in the General Election.

Before I became the Ghost of a Scotch Gentleman, dead these 250 Years and more, I thought I should never live to see a Lady out of Scotland—and Few in it—drink Whiskey. In that I am not disappointed, for I had not lived; yet Sen. Clinton has drunk—and not only Whiskey, but Beer. 'Twas unfortunate She drank an insipid Canadian Liquor, and not the noble Highland Spirits; but, all Artifice as She is, I cannot but doubt that Someone told her 'twould be good Politicks to be seen raising a North American glass.

Wishing I were yet able to drink a Toast to your Health & Prosperity of proper Scotch Whiskey, I remain

Zounds, Sir Archy, 'twas Canadian Rye her tipple? A fine choice for Pretenders to the Canadian Power, but in this wise (viz., the American elections!, had it never occurred to the damsel to quaff Kentucky Bourbon? Or the honored Sour Mash of Tennessee?

Or even the American Ryes I understand to be making a Come-Back, as any reader of the New-York Times should Know?

Meanwhilst - What wert she doing with Boilermakers, Looking for Mr. Goodbar? Trying on the Requisite Beer-Goggles to enable her pretence to Heterosexual Bona-fides? Recovering from PTSD incurred by the Bosnia Sniper Incident?

Senator Clinton may be all Artifice, but to put the most charitable Interpretation on her choice of Drink, I have little Doubt that familiarity with the so-call'd Bourbon of the American South, has left her unwilling to drink any further of it. That good Scotch Whiskey should Today be consider'd a Drink that only the well-to-do may afford, is another Example of the Chang'd World I so often pitch upon. Perhaps Mrs. Clinton sought the miserable Canadian rye as the only drinkable Spirit that did not have an Odor of Pretense about it, so that She may yet shew Herself to not be above the Common People. I however suspect that the Country People of Pennsylvania drink as little of Crown Royal as they do of any Whiskey, and are ever Beer-drinkers.

I will leave the Interpretation of the modern Meaning & Customs that commonly surround Mrs. Clinton's Choice of Drink to those most familiar with them, and only say that Decency would have me forbear to look further into the Matter.

Wishing I were yet able to drink to Your Health with something other than the very odd Products of North American Stills, I am,

Actually if she had had Canadian Club she would have probably got my grandmother's vote (were she still able to vote, alas). She was a lifelong Wilkes-Barre area native (Nanticoke anyone?), an RN, and ...

Actually I'm not sure whether she'd have succumbed to HRC's blandishments, but CC & ginger was her drink IIRC, or vodka. Um, what do they drink in coal country? Beer. Definitely boilermakers. Geez, I will ask Mom. Since there are many Poles, vodka may be on the menu.

Me, I like bourbon, though typically a white-likker man (gimlets). I guess I'm not cultivated enough for Scotch. She might have been close, they might drink a lot of rye up there. Let me look into it.

I would say she could have asked for a premium bourbon - Maker's Mark, say - without sounding snotty, if she can't bear Jim Beam, Jack Daniels or Wild Turkey.

But you know what, she's a lady, or at least a woman. I think she could get away with a rum-and-Coke. Hey, being a New Yorker, let her have a Long Island Iced Tea.

But you know what I would like her to order? Whatever she really likes to drink.

Whereas Obama - while there's nothing wrong with OJ and you can't count on decent tea anywhere, anyway - the answer to that question is always COFFEE! Decaf if you must.

And remove "arugula" from your vocabulary, O. You don't come to the heartland for the arugula vote.

Mccain would be smart to avoid loaded questions like that. There is no good answer that the media wouldn't attack you on. It's like asking someone if they are P.T. (although these days the public schools probably welcome P.T.)

Besides, the media should be asking Obama why he is lying to the public when he claims he doesn't take big oil and big Pharm money. USA Today reports that Obama's has taken a lot of cash from the CEO's of these companies. Where does Obama think the money comes from?

McCain' answer was a little disappointing. He could have said something to the effect of, "Of course I consider myself a typical white person. And I'm going to do my best to assure all Americans that when one thinks of an American 'typical white person', he doesn't think of that differently in any material way as he would about any other 'typical' American of any race or creed. You want to get past race, get past race! I give the Sen. an A on taking the high road, though. That's a really risky way to run his campaign given that Obama is already running a two-faced campaign, and the currently latent but soon to be patent hostilty of the press to all Republicans.

McCains real problem is that he is a typical old person. Mean, crotchety and yelling at everyone to get off his lawn. Telling old war stories and how it so much better back in his day. That's where he's gonna have a problem.

Here's the video of the follow-up question, about Hillary's drinking, which caught McCain offguard. The question lobbed by Peter Doocy, the son of Fox & Friends anchor Steve Doocy. Chris Matthews noted it was a 'smart-ass question.' He would know.